They may be number one in their kidssa国际传媒� hearts, but a recent study suggests when men become fathers, they can earn a raise without having to be the top performer in the office.

Researchers at the University of British Columbia analyzed data from Statistic Canadasa国际传媒檚 latest workplace and employee survey and found that white men often receive a wage boost when they become fathers.

sa国际传媒淎lthough women typically experience a dip in earnings after becoming mothers, our study confirms the prevalence of the so-called sa国际传媒榙addy bonussa国际传媒檚a国际传媒� the wage boost that men enjoy when they become fathers,sa国际传媒� lead researcher Sylvia Fuller said.

Employers are more likely to see fathers deserving of promotions and higher wages because of an unfair assumption that men are the breadwinners in their families, the study said, and therefore more likely to be hardworking and dependable.

sa国际传媒淥f course, that assumption isnsa国际传媒檛 always true,sa国际传媒� Fuller said.

Researchers focused on wage differences within workplaces as well, but had to limit their study to specifically white men because of wage gaps that exist among racial groups.

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The numbers suggest new fathers in professional or managerial roles enjoy the largest net wage boost within their workplace sa国际传媒� about seven per cent sa国际传媒� compared to a 3.6-per-cent wage boost offered to men in other occupations.

There was also a noticeable difference between sa国际传媒渉ighly educated mensa国际传媒� and those with less than a high school diploma. Men with university degrees often received a 5.3-per-cent net wage premium, compared to a 1.8-per-cent boost for other fathers.

In cases where jobs involved a collective bargaining agreement, or in companies with a human resources department, the fatherhood wage premium was significantly lower.

And in cases where work performance was more closely scrutinized for merit pay, researchers found that the fatherhood wage boost was reduced or even reversed.

sa国际传媒淭he overall story seems to be that, when theresa国际传媒檚 more scrutiny and oversight of actual performance, the fatherhood advantage diminishes,sa国际传媒� Fuller said. sa国际传媒淭his suggests that itsa国际传媒檚 not so much that dads are necessarily working harder, but that employers think they are.sa国际传媒�

Fuller said the findings should be cause for concern, especially for employers.

sa国际传媒淚t is discrimination on the basis of family status,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淣ot everybody can or wants to have kids, but that shouldnsa国际传媒檛 affect wages. It is fundamentally unfair.sa国际传媒�

ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca
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